Category: News

For August 2020, a concessionary price of £34.30 (per device) was granted for all generic prescriptions for ‘Adrenaline 150micrograms/0.15ml (1 in 1000) solution for injection pre-filled disposable devices’. This concessionary price will only apply to generically written prescriptions submitted for payment for the dispensing month of August. It is important to note that the concessionary price does NOT apply to any equivalent branded prescriptions issued for Jext^® or Emerade^® (note: Emerade^® is currently unavailable as it was subject to a recent recall).

However, prescriptions for Jext 150mcg/0.15ml (1 in 1,000) solution for injection auto-injectors and Jext 300mcg/0.3ml (1 in 1,000) solution for injection auto-injectors will also be reimbursed at the price of £34.30 for August 2020 prescriptions. This is an exception and will help to avoid contractors dispensing these items (as branded prescriptions) at a loss during the month of August and also avoid the need for contractors to obtain replacement generically written prescriptions for accurate reimbursement.

A list of concessionary prices for September 2020 is available here.

The Hon. Ian Paisley MP has thanked community pharmacy teams for their ongoing commitment to patients and local communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The MP paid a visit to Woodsides Pharmacy in Ballymena and spoke with pharmacist Joanne Morrow and her team about their experiences of Covid-19.

Mr Paisley heard how the community pharmacy network ensured crucial frontline services were kept open for patients during the very worst of the crisis. At its onset, local community pharmacy teams dealt with a huge surge in patient numbers as the pandemic took hold and quickly adapted pharmacy premises so that patients could continue to access vital services.

Speaking after the visit, Ian Paisley MP said:

“I was very pleased to be able to visit Joanne and her team at Woodsides today to thank them for their work during the pandemic.

“I have long believed in the value of our local community pharmacy network and the important role it plays as a core part of health and social care.

“Throughout the pandemic, community pharmacists have delivered for communities when they needed it and the open door policy during this time has mean the most vulnerable have been supported throughout the crisis.

“Visiting the Woodsides pharmacy team today reminded me of the fundamental role community pharmacy plays in public health. Accessible, diligent and supporting us when we are most vulnerable. The service provided is one we must endeavour to uplift and support.”

Local community pharmacist Joanne Morrow said:

“Working on the frontline during this pandemic has been one of the most challenging periods of my career to date. In March, when lockdown measures were put in place, community pharmacists were adamant that our commitment and duty of care to our patients was paramount and had to be maintained so that no one went without.

“We are proud of our team here at Woodsides for the dedication and care they have shown to the local community and it has been a pleasure to be able to talk to Ian about the work our team have carried out over the past few months.”

“The strength of our community pharmacy network is in our accessibility and the fact we are deeply rooted in local communities – we know our patients and they know us and trust us.

“Now, as we enter into the next phase in this pandemic, our role is to continue the work we started, supporting our communities and putting their health and wellbeing first.”

The Northern Ireland Executive has designed posters for retail in relation to mandatory face masks which have been adapted for community pharmacy.  The poster can be accessed at the following link in A4 and A3 format for download and print.  Three copies of each poster size will be supplied to each community pharmacy.   Posters can also be downloaded at the following link:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-information-posters

From Tuesday 1st September the Minor Ailments Service is once again available at community pharmacies. The service supports patients to manage and treat a range of minor ailments under the professional healthcare guidance of a community pharmacist. The service is accessible without an appointment and a list conditions can be found at http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/2055.htm

If you have any query about this service, please contact your local HSCB Pharmacy Adviser or the CPNI Office.

A recently published survey by epilepsy charities Epilepsy Action, Epilepsy Society and Young Epilepsy found one in ten (11%) women who are currently taking the epilepsy medicine valproate are unaware of the possible risk of birth defects if taken in pregnancy. Furthermore, one in five (18%) don’t know that, when taken in pregnancy, the medicine could also cause learning and developmental delays in children.

Under the current regulations, valproate must no longer be used for women and girls who are able to become pregnant unless there is a Pregnancy Prevention Plan (PPP) in place. The PPP, mandatory at prescription, is an intervention from the MHRA designed to make sure patients are fully aware of the risks of valproate use in pregnancy and the need to avoid becoming pregnant.

The survey found that many women with epilepsy are still not receiving information from health professionals about the risks of valproate, leaving their potential future children at risk of harm.

” Valproate dispensing from the pharmacist

• Just under half of respondents (49%, 251/514) said they had had no discussion with their pharmacist about the risks associated with taking valproate during pregnancy. Only 14% (72/514) said they had this discussion every time they collected a prescription.
• 29% (150/514) of respondents stated that when their valproate was dispensed in a plain package, the box never had a sticker with the warning pictogram. Only 60% (306/514) of respondents stated that a prescription in a manufacturer’s packaging always included the warning pictogram.
• Over half (51%, 261/514) of respondents said they had never received the Patient Card from their pharmacist when receiving their prescription “

The full report can be accessed here

Reminder:

PHARMACISTS are asked to take the following IMPORTANT ACTIONS:

• Provide a Patient Card every time you dispense a valproate medicine to ALL female patients. Please also note that the outer boxes of valproate are being changed in order to include a removable patient card, to be detached and given to the female patient at the time of dispensation.
• When dispensing any valproate preparation to female children, adolescents, women of childbearing potential, or pregnant women check that their prescriber has discussed the risks of exposure in pregnancy with them and they are aware of these and subsequently they are taking effective contraception unless already pregnant.
• If the prescriber has not discussed the risks with the patient or the patient is not taking effective contraception, tell them to contact their GP or specialist for an urgent follow-up appointment.
• Advise the patients not to stop valproate medication and to immediately contact their GP or specialist in case of suspected pregnancy.
• Ask if they have received the Patient Guide and provide a copy if they have not received this or no longer have it in their possession.
• Dispense valproate in the original package with the outer warning and avoid repacking. In the situations where this cannot be avoided, always provide a copy of the package leaflet, patient card, and add a warning sticker to the outer box.

To order new or further PPP materials, please contact Sanofi medical information department on 0845 372 7101 or email UK-Medicalinformation@sanofi.com.